Short answer: rinse your blue light glasses under lukewarm water, rub each lens gently with a drop of lotion-free dish soap, rinse again, and dry with a clean microfiber cloth. Never use paper towels, your shirt, window cleaner, vinegar or other household cleaners. They can scratch the lens or damage any coating on it.
Why Cleaning Blue Light Glasses Properly Matters
Protecting the Lens Surface and Coatings
Blue light lenses filter light in one of two ways. Some have the filter built into the lens material itself. Others use a thin coating on the surface that reflects part of the blue light, which is why some clear lenses show a faint blue or purple sheen (see why blue light glasses reflect). Many lenses also have an anti-reflective or scratch-resistant coating.
Coatings are thin. Scratches, rough cloths and harsh chemicals can wear them, cloud them or make them peel. A lens with the filter built in is tougher, but scratches still blur your view. Either way, gentle cleaning keeps the lens working and looking clear.
Seeing Clearly
A blue light filter doesn't blur your vision, but smudges do. Fingerprints and skin oil scatter light, add glare and make text look softer. Clean lenses are simply easier to look through.
Making Them Last
Most blue light glasses last one to three years with good care. Scratches and worn coatings are the main reasons people replace them sooner. See how long blue light glasses last.
What You Should Never Use
Household Cleaners
Window cleaner (which often contains ammonia), vinegar, bleach, kitchen sprays and nail polish remover (acetone) can strip or cloud lens coatings, and acetone can damage plastic lenses. Use them once and you might not notice. Use them every day and the damage adds up.
Tissues, Paper Towels and Clothing
Paper fibers are rougher than they feel and can leave fine scratches. A shirt or sweater also picks up dust and grit, which then gets dragged across the lens.
Wiping a Dry, Dusty Lens
Rubbing dust around on a dry lens is how most scratches happen. Rinse first whenever you can.
How to Clean Blue Light Glasses: Step by Step
Step 1: Wash Your Hands
Wash with soap and dry your hands so you don't add lotion or oil to the lenses.
Step 2: Rinse Under Lukewarm Water
Hold the glasses under a gentle stream of lukewarm (not hot) water. This washes away dust and grit before you touch the lens.
Step 3: Use a Drop of Mild Dish Soap
Put a small drop of lotion-free dish soap on your fingertips and gently rub both sides of each lens, the nose pads and the frame for a few seconds.
Step 4: Rinse Again
Rinse thoroughly so no soap is left to streak.
Step 5: Shake Off and Dry With a Clean Microfiber Cloth
Gently shake off the water, then dry the lenses with a clean, dry microfiber cloth. Microfiber traps oil and dust instead of pushing it around. If any spots remain, breathe lightly on the lens and wipe again.
Cleaning on the Go
- Pre-moistened lens wipes. Wipes made for eyeglasses are fine for a quick clean. Rinse off any grit first if you can.
- Lens cleaning spray. A small bottle of spray made for eyeglass lenses, used with a microfiber cloth, works well at your desk or in a bag.
- Keep a clean cloth with you. Store your glasses in their case with the cloth.
How Often Should You Clean Them?
- Daily: a quick wipe with a clean microfiber cloth or lens wipe to remove fingerprints.
- Every few days, or whenever they look greasy: the full soap-and-water clean above.
- If you wear them all day at a screen: clean them whenever you notice smudges. Smudges add glare.
Extra Care Tips
- Use a hard case whenever they're not on your face. Our accessories include cases, microfiber cloths, lens wipes and cleaning spray.
- Don't put them lens-down on a table or desk.
- Keep them out of heat. A hot car dashboard can warp frames and crack coatings.
- Wash your microfiber cloth regularly in warm water with a little detergent and no fabric softener, and let it air-dry. Replace it when it gets worn.
- Take them off with both hands to keep the frame aligned.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use alcohol wipes on blue light glasses?
Pre-moistened wipes made for eyeglass lenses are fine. Avoid general-purpose alcohol wipes, rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizer, which can be harsh on lens coatings with regular use.
What's the safest DIY cleaning solution?
Lukewarm water and a drop of lotion-free dish soap. That's all most glasses need.
Can scratches be polished out?
Not on coated lenses. Polishing removes the coating along with the scratch. If scratches get in the way of seeing clearly, it's time for new lenses.
Do blue light glasses need professional cleaning?
Not usually. If the frame is loose or the nose pads are grimy, an optical store can clean and adjust them, often for free.
Does cleaning affect how much blue light they filter?
Gentle cleaning doesn't. Harsh cleaners and scratches can damage a filter coating over time. If you want to check your pair, see how to tell if blue light glasses are real.
The Bottom Line
Water, a drop of mild dish soap and a clean microfiber cloth are all you need. Skip paper, clothing and household cleaners, keep your glasses in a case, and they'll stay clear for longer.
